* A PORTION OF NORTH AND CENTRAL NEW MEXICO... INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS... CHUSKA MOUNTAINS... FAR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS... JEMEZ MOUNTAINS... NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS... NORTHWEST PLATEAU... SAN FRANCISCO RIVER VALLEY... SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS... SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS... SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS... WEST CENTRAL HIGHLANDS... WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND WEST CENTRAL PLATEAU.

* THROUGH THIS EVENING

* DEEP AND RICH AMOUNTS OF ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE WILL BE OVER MUCH OF WESTERN... AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL... NEW MEXICO THROUGH AT LEAST TONIGHT. WITH INCREASING ATMOSPHERIC INSTABILITY THIS AFTERNOON SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY ERUPT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED AREAS OF HEAVY RAINFALL. STORMS WILL DRIFT TO THE EAST AND NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN AND INCH AND A HALF AND 3 INCHES PER HOUR.

* LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING OF STREAMS... ARROYOS... DRY CREEK BEDS AND LOW WATER CROSSINGS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM HEAVY RAINFALL. THE LAS CONCHAS... WHITEWATER BALDY... LITTLE BEAR... AND WHITE BURN SCARS WILL BE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.